Ice skate

ABSTRACT

The center point of an ice skate rocker with respect to the plane of the skater&#39;s foot, in a skating position, is adjusted without changing the contour or profile of the skate blade. This is done by adjusting the angular position of the foot inside the skating boot with a shim placed under the heel or under the ball of the foot.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in ice skates such as used by skaters in hockey, figure skating and long-blade skating.

Ice skating is achieved by a skater wearing a boot attached to a manufactured blade, FIG. 1. The blade is often contoured in two perpendicular planar directions. In the plane of principal motion (xy plane), FIG. 2, the blade generally has a large radius of curvature, generally called the rocker. In the plane perpendicular to the direction of principal motion (yz plane), FIG. 3, the blade has a small radius of curvature, generally called the radius-of-hollow, FIG. 4. The ratio of rocker to radius-of-hollow is generally in the range of 8 to 13 for figure skates, 10 to 18 for hockey skates or zero for longblade skates (flat radius of hollow).

The blade is most often made from a metal. If the blade material is machinable, then the center of the rocker can be changed, relative to the foot position in the skating boot, by machining (“contouring”) the blade. Alternatively, a change of rocker center point can be achieved by repositioning the blade in the x-y plane relative to the boot. A change can be made based on the preference of the skater. The preference is generally based on the skater's anatomy and the skater's flexibility limitations: the more proficient the skater is, the more the skater has awareness of rocker center point.

It would be desirable if the center of the rocker could be changed relative to the foot position without having to machine the blade or repositioning the blade relative to the foot.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide improvements in an ice skate which readily permit the center of the rocker relative to the foot position to be changed.

A further object of this invention is to permit such shifting of the center of the rocker to be made in a simple low cost manner.

The invention provides the ability to adjust the center point of the rocker with respect to the plane of the skater's foot, in a skating position, without changing the contour or profile of the skate blade to improve skating performance. This is done by adjusting the angular position of the foot inside the skating boot with a shim placed under the heel or under the ball of the foot.

In a preferred practice of the invention the shim is readily insertable in and removable from the boot of the skate.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice skate which could be used in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the ice skate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the ice skate shown in FIGS. 2-3;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the detail for FIG. 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view in section of the ice skate shown in FIGS. 1-4 in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 5 a is a top plan view showing a set of shims which may be used in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 5 b is a side elevational view of the shims shown in FIG. 5 a;

FIG. 5 c is a side elevational view showing a pair of stacked shims of the type shown in FIGS. 5 a and 5 b;

FIG. 6 is a geometrical showing of the relationships resulting from the use of a shim in an ice skate in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view in elevation along the mid-plane of an ice skate showing the use of a heel shim in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 7 a is an enlarged view of the detail for FIG. 7 a of FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 with a ball-of-foot shim in an ice skate in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 8 a is an enlarged view of the detail for FIG. 8 a of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a skate 10 which may be used in the practice of this invention. As shown therein skate 10 includes a boot 12 having a blade holder 14 which mounts the blade 16 to the boot 12. Skate 10 would be worn on one foot. A similar skate would be worn on the other foot.

As shown in FIG. 2 the blade 16 is contoured in its plane of principle motion (xy plane) to have a large radius of curvature 18 generally referred to as the rocker.

As shown in FIGS. 3-4 the blade 16 is also contoured in the yz plane perpendicular to the direction of principle motion. The blade 16 has a small radius of curvature 22 generally called the radius-of-hollow.

The skate 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and in other figures herein could take any known conventional form of construction and would include an inner sole at the bottom of the boot upon which the foot would be directly placed. In accordance with this invention the rocker center point with respect to the plane of the foot is shifted by inserting a shim on the inner sole at either the heel or the ball of the foot portions of the inner sole.

Performing trigometric and geometric analyses shows that a radial line from the center of the rocker, perpendicular with respect to the foot, can be moved without actually machining the blade. The radial line can also be changed with a change of foot position relative to that of the blade in the xy plane: either transitionally along the blade in the x direction or rotationally about the z axis. These methods of changing the position of the rocker with respect to the foot are achieved without altering the blade.

This invention allows the change of rocker center point with respect to the foot by a rotation of the foot plane in the z direction through the use of ball-of-foot shims or heel shims made of any suitable material (soft or hard, pliable or non-pliable).

FIG. 5 illustrates a heel shim 24 removably placed on the inner sole 26 inside the boot 12. The shim 24 functions to elevate or change the angle of the plane of the foot at the heel. Generally, as shown in FIG. 5 a, shim 24 would have a shape that corresponds to the size and shape of the user's heel and would snuggly but removably fit in the heel portion of boot 12 on inner sole 26. Any suitable thickness could be used to achieve the intended purpose. Preferably, the shim thickness of shim 24 and ball-of-foot shim 28 would be no greater than ½ inches thick and more preferably no greater than 3/16 inch thick. Other suitable thicknesses include 1/16 inch and 1/32 inch. The shim could also be as thin as 1/64 inch. Preferably, the shim is at least 1/16 inch thick and no greater than 3/16 inch. The shim thickness results in a corresponding elevation of the heel or ball of the foot. FIG. 5 b illustrates a single shim 24. If the thickness of the single shim is not sufficient, two or more shims 24 of the same of differing thicknesses could be stacked atop each other to achieve the desired thickness, such as illustrated in FIG. 5 c. Similarly, FIGS. 5 a, 5 b and 5 c illustrate corresponding ball-of-foot shims 28.

In the preferred practice of this invention the total shim thickness, whether singularly or stacked is no greater than 3/16 inch. Preferably the shim is flat in the xz plane and provides a uniform thickness throughout the xy plane. The invention could be practiced where the shims are “generally” flat and could include slight contours or tapers. The main objective is to elevate generally uniformly the entire heel or the entire ball of the foot in the xy plane.

FIG. 6 illustrates the geometric considerations resulting in a shifting of the rocker center point with respect to the foot. In those discussions reference to plane of the foot is intended to mean a plane that is parallel to the transverse plane of the foot when a person is standing with feet parallel to the ground. When a person has a shim under the heel, then the plane of the foot would be defined by a single point and a line. The point is on the surface of the foot under the center of the heel. The line is on the surface of the foot underneath and coplanar to a line drawn between two joints: the first joint is between the first metatarsal and the big toe, the second joint is between the fourth metatarsal and the fourth toe. This line would be considered the “ball of the foot”.

As shown in FIG. 5 a, heel shim 24 is shaped to have a generally straight inner edge 23 which would extend transversely across the boot/inner sole. The inner edge connects to side edges 25 extending rearwardly and merging into an arcuate outer edge 27 which extends transversely across the boot/inner sole to conform to the size and shape of the rear heel end of the boot/inner sole. The ball-of-foot shim 28 would have a shape similar to that of heel shim 24 to conform to the size and shape of the front toe/ball of foot end of the boot/inner sole. Preferably shim 28 is shaped as shown in FIG. 5 a to have the arcuate front end 29 to support the toes and conform in size and shape to the front end of the boot/inner sole. Shim 28 would also have straight inner edge 31 and side edges 33,33. This shape assures proper placement of shim 28 in boot 12.

Preferably, the heel shim 24 would have a length in the x direction which is greater than 20%, but less than 50% of the total length of the foot (or inner sole) measured along the line in a plane parallel to the sagittal plane of the foot. The ball-of-foot shim 28 would have a similar length.

From the geometry of FIG. 6 with further reference to FIG. 5, a heel lift from heel shim 24 would cause the radial line from the rocker center point with respect to the foot inside the skate boot, to move rearward, along the line of the plane of the foot in the skate boot, a distance of:

${q_{n} - q_{o}} = {{R \cdot {\sin \left( {\frac{\theta}{2} + \phi} \right)}} - {\left( {{{R \cdot \sin}\frac{\theta}{2}} - q_{o}} \right)\cos \; \phi} - q_{o}}$

where: q_(n)≡distance, in the xy plane with heel shim 24, between ball-of-foot 30 and radial line 32 of the rocker that is perpendicular to plane of foot 34 with a heel shim 24 (xz plane rotated through the angle φ (PSI)) q_(o)≡distance, in the xy plane, between ball-of-foot 30 and radial line 36 of rocker that is perpendicular to plane of foot (xz plane) 38 (with no shim)

${R \equiv {{rocker}\mspace{14mu} 40\mspace{20mu} \theta}} = {2 \cdot {\cos^{- 1}\left( {1 - \frac{h}{R}} \right)}}$ h ≡ in  the  xy  plane, distance  from  tangent  on  Rocker  40, nearest  the  foot  and  parallel  to  plane  of  foot  38  in  skate, to  the  xz  plane ${\phi = {{{2 \cdot {\sin^{- 1}\left( \frac{Lift}{2L} \right)}}\mspace{14mu} {Lift}} \equiv {{Total}\mspace{14mu} {shim}\mspace{20mu} {thickness}}}}\mspace{14mu}$ L ≡ distance  between  center-of-heel  42  and  ball-of-foot  30

A ball-of-foot shim 28 would likewise have an equivalent movement, but in the opposite direction. The above equations would be valid if P (PSI) were negative.

While the rocker radial lines were 90 degrees to the foot plane in FIG. 6, any rocker radial line making an angle PSI with the foot plane will shift in the same direction as shown in FIGS. 7, 7 a, 8 and 8 a. These rocker radial lines intersecting the foot planes with the angle PSI represent the normal force (pressure) felt by the skater.

FIGS. 7 and 7A illustrate a shifting of the radial line to the rocker center resulting from the use of a heel shim 24. As shown therein, the foot plane 38 is illustrated where there is no shim. By inserting the heel shim 24, the foot plane is then elevated at an angle to the position shown as foot plane 34. As a result, the radial line 20 to the rocker center where there is no shim would be shifted to the location 44.

FIGS. 8 and 8A similarly show how the radial line 20 to the rocker center is shifted forwardly to position 48 when a ball-of-foot shim 28 is used which results in the foot plane 38 (when there is no shim) being moved to the foot plane 46 with the shim 28. Thus, FIG. 7 shows that a radial line 20 from the rocker center point will shift backward to position 44 with a heel shim 24, if the same angle is maintained between the plane of the foot and the radial line. Similarly, FIG. 8 shows that a radial line 20 from the rocker center point will shift forward to position 48 with a ball-of-foot shim 28, if the same angle is maintained between the plane of the foot and the radial line.

The range of values for the heel or ball-of-foot lift and range of values for typical blade rockers make the thickness of the shims fit easily into most known skate configurations.

The drawings illustrate and the corresponding description discusses a single skate 10. In practice, the skater would wear such a skate on each foot. In the preferred practice of this invention if a heel shim 24 is worn in one skate, an identical heel shim would be worn in the other skate. Similarly, if a ball-of-foot shim 28 is worn in one skate, an identical shim 28 would be worn in the other skate. It is to be understood, however, that the invention can also be practiced where a shim in one skate differs in thickness from the shim in the other skate. The invention can also be practiced where a heel shim 24 is worn in one skate and a ball-of-foot shim 28 is worn in the other skate. Further, the invention could be practiced where a shim is worn in only one skate. As noted, the preferred practice is to have the same type of shim in each skate so that there is a uniform shifting of the rocker center line in both skates.

The invention can be practiced in any manner by the use of some mechanical structure which would elevate the heel or the ball of the foot to adjust the foot plane angle. For example, it is not necessary to use a shim confined to the heel or to the ball of the foot area. Thus, an insert could be used in the skate boot extending beyond those areas and even extending the entire length of the foot. Such insert could have a raised portion at the heel or at the ball of the foot. The thickness of the raised portion might even be adjustable. With such insert, the raised portion would be considered as a shim. Other practices could utilize the boot, itself, to cause such elevation and change of foot angle. Thus, instead of having a removable insert or shim, an inflatable bladder could be provided at the heel or at the ball of the foot portion of the boot which would be inflated a suitable amount to cause the desired elevation and change in plane of the foot angle. It might even be possible to provide flaps hinged to the inside of the boot which could be pivoted downwardly to create an elevation. Another variation would be to provide a key or other actuating member accessible on the outside of the boot, which upon turning or manipulation would cause some form of elevation inside the boot in the area of the heel or the ball of the foot. All of these examples of elevations could be broadly considered as different forms of shims which result in an adjustment of the plane of the foot. 

1. In an ice skate comprising a boot having an inner sole, a blade mounted to the bottom of said boot, said blade in the xy plane having a large radius rocker curvature, the rocker having a radial line which makes an angle with respect to a foot plane, the boot and the inner sole having a heel portion at the rearward end of the boot and having a ball-of-foot portion at the forward end of the boot, the improvement being in a removable shim being inserted in one of said heel portion and said ball-of-foot portion of said boot to shift said rocker center relative to the foot plane by elevating a generally uniform distance the entire respective one of the heel and ball-of-foot of the skater in the xy plane.
 2. The skate of claim 1 wherein said shim is a heel shim inserted in said heel portion of said boot.
 3. The skate of claim 1 wherein said shim is a ball-of-foot shim inserted in said ball-of-foot portion of said boot.
 4. The skate of claim 1 wherein said shim is substantially flat in the xz plane.
 5. The skate of claim 1 wherein said shim has a length in the x direction which is greater than 20% and less than 50% of the total length of said inner sole.
 6. The skate of claim 1 wherein said shim has a thickness which creates an elevation no greater than ½ inch.
 7. The skate of claim 6 where said elevation is at least 1/64 inch and no greater than 3/16 inch.
 8. The skate of claim 1 wherein a plurality of said shims are stacked atop each other.
 9. The skate of claim 1 wherein said shim has a shape created by a substantially straight inner edge which extends transversely across said boot, a pair of side edges extending rearwardly of said inner edge, and said side edges merging into an arcuate outer edge which conforms to the size and shape of said boot where said shim is snuggly located.
 10. A method of shifting the rocker center with respect to a foot plane of an ice skate having a blade mounted to and below a boot, comprising inserting a shim in one of the heel portion and the ball of the foot portion of the boot, and the shim elevating a generally uniform distance in the xy plane the entire respective one of the heel and the ball of the foot of the skater/wearer.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the shim is a heel shim located below the heel of the skater/wearer.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the shim is located below the ball of the foot of the skater/wearer.
 13. The method of claim 10 wherein the shim is substantially flat in the xz plane.
 14. The method of claim 10 wherein the shim has a length in the x direction which is greater than 20% and less than 50% of the length of the foot of the skater/wearer.
 15. The method of claim 10 wherein the respective one of the heel and the ball of the foot is elevated a distance at least 1/64 inch and no greater than 3/16 inch.
 16. The method of claim 10 wherein the respective one of the heel and the ball of the foot is elevated a distance at least 1/64 inch and no greater than ½ inch.
 17. The method of claim 10 wherein a plurality of shims are stacked atop each other.
 18. The method of claim 10 wherein the skate is one skate of a pair of skates, and the method being done on each of the skates.
 19. The method of claim 18 wherein a shim is inserted in the heel portion of each skate.
 20. The method of claim 17 wherein a shim is inserted in the ball of the foot portion of each skate. 